From the COVID-19 pandemic to extreme wildfires, the unseen risks that emerged over the past few years demonstrate the vital need for risk analysis and management. Professor Joost Santos sits at the intersection of systems engineering, disaster risk analysis, and economics, working tirelessly to ensure such risks are adequately assessed and handled. For over 20 years, he has been an active member of the Society for Risk Analysis (SRA), sharing his expertise through leadership and cutting-edge research, which led him to be named an SRA Fellow to honor his exceptional service to the field and SRA!
“Being named a Fellow of SRA carries immense significance for me, both personally and professionally. It is a profound recognition from a community of experts I hold in high regard, affirming the efforts I have devoted to advancing the field of risk analysis. The honor resonates with me deeply as it acknowledges my commitment to rigor, contributions to innovative methodologies, and engagement with diverse challenges in risk-related disciplines. This designation not only reinforces my sense of purpose but also motivates me to continue pushing boundaries within the field,” said Santos.
As an open forum for all those interested in risk analysis, SRA has facilitated interdisciplinary, scholarly research among professionals worldwide since 1980. At SRA’s annual meeting, its diverse members discuss strategies for anticipating, reacting to, characterizing, and communicating risks. Members can also disseminate their research findings in its official journal, Risk Analysis, in which Santos has published over 20 papers since joining in 2000.
A notable accomplishment is the inclusion of Santos’ research in the journal’s paper “Ten Most Important Accomplishments in Risk Analysis, 1980-2010,” which highlights his work on inoperability input-output modeling within the regional economic impact assessment category. This award-winning study, “Modeling the Demand Reduction Input-Output (I-O) Inoperability Due to Terrorism of Interconnected Infrastructure,” is one of the journal’s most highly cited articles, with over 600 citations. Santos has won a total of four best paper awards from the Risk Analysis Journal, the latest of which was presented in December 2023.
Santos has also published prolifically in other journals, including a co-authored piece in IIE Transactions, recognized as one of their five most popular articles, and a paper in Economic Systems Research that won the Leontief Memorial Prize. As a Fullbright Scholar for AY 2021-22, Santos focused on developing resilience models for disaster risk management in the Philippines. This work culminated in two journal articles on volcanic eruptions and COVID-19 impacts and a co-authored book titled “Input-Output Models for Sustainable Industrial Systems: Implementation Using LINGO.”
Two of Santos’ studies have influenced public policy. The “Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves 2018 Report,” co-authored by Santos, demonstrated that every $1 spent on mitigation can save the U.S. $6 in future disaster costs and was directly cited by Congress in the “Promoting Flood Risk Mitigation Act.” Additionally, his “Runway Resilience” study for Portland International Airport was recently referenced by President Biden in a speech, highlighting its broader impact on public discourse about infrastructure resilience in similar isolated systems.
“Risk analysis is, at its core, about creating tools and frameworks that protect lives, infrastructure, and ecosystems. To be recognized by SRA for contributions to these areas makes me feel that my work has truly had an impact,” said Santos. “It is also an encouragement that my professional community values my dedication to ethical, scientifically grounded decision-making. This recognition further deepens my gratitude for mentors, colleagues, and collaborators who have shaped my journey, reminding me that risk analysis is a collective effort and that this honor is a testament to those who have supported me along the way.”
To support fellow SRA community members, Santos has taken on various leadership roles, such as chairing the SRA Engineering and Infrastructure Specialty Group in 2010 and 2011 and serving on the program committee for the annual meeting in 2011 and the SRA World Congress in South Africa in 2019. He aids SRA in knowledge dissemination by participating in webinars such as “Economic Risk for Physical System Disruptions: A Case of Transportation Systems” and developing symposia in SRA meetings, showcasing his versatility and depth of knowledge across various domains within risk analysis.
Santos’ recognition as an SRA Fellow—a prestigious group comprising all former Presidents and only one percent of members selected annually—highlights his commitment to advancing innovative approaches to risk analysis, enhancing public welfare, and guiding society through uncertainty with impactful leadership and research. He will be officially honored at the 2024 SRA Annual Meeting, themed “Beyond the Horizon: Strategies for Managing Unseen Risks,” which underscores the increasingly complex challenges Santos and his colleagues address through their work, such as climate change, cybersecurity, and public health crises.